Willem-Alexander sworn in as new Dutch king

Willem-Alexander of the House of Orange-Nassau became the Netherlands’ first king in 123 years as his mother, Queen Beatrix, ended a 33-year reign.

She signed the act of abdication in an ornate chamber at the palace.

The Dutch monarch is sworn in before a joint session of the Houses of Parliament in the deconsecrated church, rather than crowned, because church and royalty are separated in the Netherlands

Sajjan Kumar acquitted in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case

Congress leader Sajjan Kumar of all charges in the murder of five Sikhs in the Raj Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case by a sessions court.

Among the five other accused, former Municipal Corporation of Delhi councillor Balwan Khokhar, Captain Bhagmal and Girdhari Lal were held guilty of murder and rioting charges, while the former MLA, Mahender Yadav, and Balwan’s brother, Krishan Khokhar, were held guilty of rioting charges.

Additional Solicitor-General Haren Raval resigned

Additional Solicitor General Haren Raval, who sparked a controversy by telling the Supreme Court that CBI status report on Coalgate was not shared with the government, resigned from his post.

Extra Charges for preferred air seats, check-in-luggage & meals

The Civil Aviation Ministry allowed airlines to charge extra money from passengers for preferred seats, check-in baggage and meals. This is similar the U.S. model of imposing extra fee on air passengers.

The services include snacks, drinks (barring drinking water), use of airline lounges, and transport of sports equipment, musical instruments and valuable baggage which have higher carrier liability.

Air Marshal Herikudru Babu Rajaram conferred AVSM

Air Marshal Herikudru Babu Rajaram was conferred the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) at the recently held Defence investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Air Marshal Rajaram was commissioned in the administrative branch of the IAF in 1977 and has held various appointments which include Senior Air Traffic Control Officer (SATCO) and Chief GCA Controller at fighter bases, Chief Administrative Officer at a fighter base and Chief Personal Staff Officer of an Operational Command. He has also commanded an equipment depot. He took over as the Air Officer administration in February this year. He was awarded Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2011.

Chinese troops erect another tent at Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO)

Chinese troops have erected another tent in Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector in Ladakh raising the number of such structures in the area of incursion to five, as the standoff between India and China entered the third week.

With China showing no signs of withdrawing its troops from the Indian territory, sources said efforts to break the impasse over the incursion yielded no results because of its insistence that some bunkers constructed by India at a key vantage point be dismantled.

China laid down this condition for pulling back from the place 19 km inside the Indian territory in DBO, where around 50 troops have been camping for the last over two weeks, sources said.

Activists oppose forest advisory panel’s clearance of land for Kalu dam

he Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has recommended clearance of land for the controversial Kalu dam in Thane district, drawing sharp criticism from activists and tribals affected by the project.